A wave of texts and a letter highlighting trans resources sent out to Texas families last week have ignited a storm of mystery, confusion and conservative pushback in the state.

The letter was addressed to “students” of Texas households, and the envelope’s return address lists Meadows Place, Texas, and the sending organization as the Texas Transgender Student Union. However, the Houston Chronicle says that organization was created last month in Wyoming.

Inside the letter’s envelope is a brochure telling young people curious about gender-affirming care to contact the Transgender Education Network of Texas, aka TENT, an established organization founded in 2010. Some Texans also received texts with a link to TENT’s website.

“Questions about gender-affirming care in Texas? Start here. You can get the care you need,” one text reads. Another text reads, “New school year? Here’s your complete guide on bathrooms and beyond for trans kids at school.”

However, TENT denies any involvement with the materials, stating on its website that the texts and letter “were not authored, authorized, approved, or distributed by TENT and are not affiliated with our organization” and that the “texts do not represent the official position or communications of the organization.”

“We will continue to monitor the situation and remain committed to our organizational values of unequivocal support for trans Texans, their families, and their loved ones,” TENT wrote. “Trans Texans belong here. This is our home and we’re not going anywhere.”

The messaging has stirred up conservatives, who point to it as an example of Democrats trying to indoctrinate children with left-leaning beliefs. Sara Gonzales, a conservative influencer who has her own show on Blaze TV, wrote Sunday on X that the letter is “EVIL.”

“This was sent to my home,” Gonzales wrote. “Addressed to the ‘students’ of our family from the ‘Texas Transgender Student Union.’ It coaches minors on what to do if their parents are not supportive of their ‘trans’ identity and walks them through getting emancipated. THIS IS EVIL!!!!!”

Jeff Leach, a Texas state representative, wrote on X that he sent a formal request to state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for Senate, to investigate the letter, saying that the organization is “encouraging, instructing, or assisting Texans in circumventing, evading, or violating the requirements of SB 12, the Texas Parents Bill of Rights,” which bans Texas schools from instructing on race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

“To be clear, the laws enacted by the Texas Legislature are not optional, and no advocacy organization has a special exemption from complying with them,” Leach wrote.

When contacted by HuffPost, Paxton’s campaign said it had “no knowledge” of the texts and letter.

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